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What's New?
Check back frequently to keep up with the latest happenings at GAYC or in the state.
GAYC 2011 Schedule of Trainings! Available for download on our GAYC Training Page.
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Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Saves Taxpayers Millions and Needs to be Maintained
March 1, 2011
A new report update released by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) finds that the Georgia lottery-supported Pre-Kindergarten program (Pre-K) stands out as the state’s most effective, efficient program. Georgia Pre-K is creating educational gains that are currently saving substantial tax expenditures without spending tax dollars.
The Update finds that Georgia Pre-K has been successful during the last decade in preparing over half of Georgia’s children for kindergarten, reducing the number of students who repeat the same K-12 grade, cutting the dropout rate, and lowering special education placements.
The new SEF report also finds:
- Georgia Pre-K’s cost-savings to the K-12 education budget were $35.6 million in 2010 alone and will be an estimated $212.9 million during the next six years if the program is maintained in its current form.
- Benefits to private citizens as well as local, state and federal governments will add up to $5.12 for every $1 spent in the long term if the state expands high-quality Pre-K to all Georgia children who need it.
The SEF report concludes that Georgia Pre-K is unique. No other state program in Georgia can match it in educational impact and government savings.
The Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program through the Department of Education
The Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program through the Department of Education (DOE) is designed to improve education for students by involving teachers in the development and implementation of national education policy. The ambassador fellows share expertise and collaborate with policymakers and leaders in the federal government.
Each year the DOE solicits applications February through April for potential Fellows who are currently teaching ages preschool through 12th and have a minimum of five years experience.
Two new program components have been announced for the 2011-2012 Fellowship:
1. The Fellowship is open to teachers in any not-for-profit U.S. school, including not-for-profit private schools or early childhood programs, as well as traditional public, charter, virtual, tribal or Department of Defense run schools.
2. The DOE is adding three Regional Fellow positions and one of the hub areas would be based in Atlanta. Like the Washington Fellowship, these would be full-time positions. Regional Fellows will work closely with Regional Office staff and Classroom Fellows to more systematically reach out to teachers to share information about the Department, hear what teachers in the field have to say, and contribute their expertise and learning to Department program and policy development.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
NAEYC Conference in Atlanta, GA, November 7-10, 2012. Visit www.naeyc.org
SECA Conference in San Antonio, TX, February 2-4, 2012. visit www.southernearlychildhood.org
GAYC Conference in Duluth, GA, September 28-29. Click the GAYC Conference button to the left for more information
Important for all in the ECE Field to read Have you seen the newest DAP Position Statement? Visit http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions.asp
Read Across America Day – March 2, 2011 It's that time of year again, time to gear up for NEA's Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2. Last year First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined NEA President Dennis Van Roekel to share their love of reading with hundreds of local schoolchildren at the Library of Congress and have been invited to return to join celebrity readers for our national kickoff. Secretary Duncan has already said yes and we're looking for a repeat of the reading fun shown here. For more info visit National Education Association's Website http://www.nea.org/readacross/
NEA’s friends at Random House have put together a terrific Read Across America resources page featuring a teacher's guide, activities, games and so much more. Head to Seussville for a Seussational reading adventure. http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorReadAcrossAmerica.php
Call for Statewide MOYC Calendar Entries – Deadline March 10, 2011. We hope your events for April 2011 Month of the Young Child are well underway. The deadline to have your activities entered into the statewide MOYC Calendar is March 10, 2011. Please complete the 2011 Calendar Entry Form which can be downloaded from the WOYC page on this website.
SEF Report Released A New Diverse Majority: Students of Color in the South's Public Schools A new report released by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) finds that public schools in the American South no longer enroll a majority of White students for the first time in history. Check out the report to read more about the new trend and its implications. Link to http://www.southerneducation.org/pdf/New%20Diverse%20Majority.pdf
"Preschool: The Best Job-Training Program" - Sharing this link in case you haven't read the article or listened to the NPR segment (additional supporting resources listed at the bottom of the article).
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/08/12/139583385/preschool-the-best-job-t
raining-program?sc=emaf
GAYC's 2012 Training
Training Calendar and Registration forms can be downloaded from this website by clicking the GAYC Training button on the left.
Ongoing Free ECE Career Counseling - Are you a teacher, director, family child care provider, or trainer and want to improve your professional development? Or, are you just thinking about entering the ECE field? Free career counseling is available to you through GAYC's Advancing Careers program. Call toll free 1-888-405-2238 1-888-405-2238 or visit the Advancing Careers page of this website, www.gayconline.org/advancingcareers
Ongoing NAEYC Radio enables you to listen to brief, insightful interviews with leading experts in early childhood development right on your computer anytime. Available "on demand," NAEYC Radio provides a fast, easy and convenient way to stay on top of the latest developments and "next" practices in the field. http://www.naeyc.org/about/radio/
Posted See the GAYC audited financial statements (FY11) and tax Form 990 (FY10) for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2010 and 2011 under Files of Interest at the bottom of the page.
Receive Help with NAEYC Accreditation!
Ongoing NAEYC Radio Click here for a link to listen. Also available on i Tunes!
Ongoing Want to Keep up with the Changes in NAEYC Accreditation? - visit the accreditation section at www.naeyc.org and sign up for TORCH and accreditation e-News.
GAYC is helping centers statewide achieve NAEYC Accreditation under our GAYC Accreditation Facilitation Project. Applicants must be licensed/exempt centers and must be serious in reaching the level of quality necessary for NAEYC Accreditation. Join the waiting list so GAYC can demonstrate demand and be ready to accept new centers now. Call GAYC now at 404-222-0014 404-222-0014 for more details. The GAYC Position Statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) was released on April 30, 2010! As we all know, DAP is the key to improved quality. This statement is an outstanding tool for GAYC and others to gain a better understanding of DAP and to encourage more programs to use DAP. The Position Statement covers a description of DAP, how DAP supports quality early childhood education, how GAYC supports DAP, what Georgia needs to do, and much more. To read the complete statement, download the GAYC DAP Position Statement 2010 PDF document.
The Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) ECLKC: One-Stop Information for Head Start, includes information for parents and professionals on early childhood, www.ECLKC.ohs.acf.hhs.gov. For more information about the ECLKC, contact Head Start Knowledge & Information Management Services (HSKIMS) toll free, 1-866-763-6481 1-866-763-6481 , or email: askus@headstartinfo.org.
Do you have The Book of Forms?
Revised in 2010! The Book of Forms, A Resource Tool for Georgia's Child Care Administrators? The Book of Forms can assist directors in gathering documentation and organizing their employee forms with ease of use. An order form is available for download at the bottom of this page.
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